Like Kicking Death
by Scarecrowqueen
Summary: Jack and Aster have been mated for exactly 74 hours when Jack requests to move in officially. JackRabbit challenge fic, set in the same universe as Heart(h) and Look After You.


I was issued a challenge by sakuradancer3 to write the following:

Jack's Talent Challenge:

Everyone knows about Jack's awesome weather skills, his sense of humor, his fighting skills…but they've only really hung out with him for a couple of days. As time goes on, don't you think his new friends will eventually learn that Jack is capable of more than just snowballs and fun times?

Write a fic in which Jack reveals (knowingly or unknowingly) a secret talent that no one knew he had. This talent can be as impressive or ridiculous as you want (a new power, musical ability, heightened senses, physical prowess, immunity, ANYTHING!), but Jack must display a talent that is not explained explicitly in the movie.

Pairing: Any or None Genre: Any, but let's try to avoid the super tragic, yeah? Word Length: 500+ words

Optional Extra Challenge: Include the words rocket ship, peppermint, and rodeo.

I think I lost the prompt a bit under all the schmoop, and I didn't manage to hit the optional extra's but I think it turned out OK regardless. Thoughts?

* * *

Jack and Aster have been mated for exactly 74 hours when Jack requests to move in officially.

"It's not like I have much stuff, mostly just the clothes on my back, a couple little trinkets and some books North's been kind enough to hold on to for me." Jack is currently wearing said clothes for the first time since the rather impromptu 'Wedding Ceremony' that demolished Aster's relic of a kitchen table. Aster really isn't the kind to get sentimental over furniture, but he will admit to having saved a small chunk of one leg as a keepsake, figuring he'll whittle it down into something special for Jack for their first century anniversary or something. Nope, no regrets so far on the marriage front, save for the fact that Aster's humble kitchen will forever be associated with their first time, which is definitely not a bad thing just very... distracting, at inopportune times.

Like right now, watching Jack putter about the kitchen prepping them a snack, both clothes and boy freshly scrubbed and sweet-smelling in the bright air of their burrow. Their burrow, dear MiM, how did Aster get so lucky? Centuries of devotion to the wellbeing of mortal children wasn't nearly enough good deeds to have earned this; Jack in his recently salvaged apron with the bow tie framing his delectable rump, bare feet dusty and elegant on the dirt floor, slender hands moving with such perfection, such sureness... Right, they were discussing something, weren't they?

"No prob Jackie, we grab a couple o' boxes, have you packed and moved in a jiff." Jack turns to him, smiling, but this is a new look for him, the smile somewhat, sheepish?

"Well, we, uh, might need more than a couple boxes, maybe a couple dozen? And an extra set of hands would be useful; I mean even paperbacks are pretty heavy..." Jack trails off under the weight of Aster's stare, still smiling his most innocent and compelling grin. Aster can't help but feel like he's been had. Also, that someone somewhere is laughing at him, but he's felt that way pretty much since he met Jack, so really, nothing new there.

"Jack, my heart, light of my life, exactly how many books are we talking?" Jack is definitely sheepish now; looking up at Aster through his lovely eyelashes like his cuteness factor could somehow magically influence his mate to be less put out with him.

And dammit all to hell if it wasn't working too, the manipulative little shit!

"Um, five or six dozen? I don't think it's more than a hundred, including the textbooks too..."

Aster had to blink, because really, _that many? _Aster had never pegged his mate for a reader. Not that Jack was stupid, far from it, but reading usually took a kind of patience and stillness that had never appeared to come naturally to Jack. Then again, three hundred years of essentially free time had to have inspired the kid to some kind of hobby that wasn't winter related. In fact, thinking about it now, Aster would bet a batch of his best chocolates that the kid had a photographic memory for the things he read. It would certainly explain why Jack seemed to know so many seemingly random bits of trivia, and why he had a habit of tossing out relevant quotes whenever he was in the right mood.

"Well, nothing for it then, we'll commandeer a Yeti if we have to, they're good for heavy lifting." Jack's face light up, bouncing his way into Aster's arms like a demented rubber ball, chanting his effusive thanks into the fur on Aster's chest. Aster couldn't help but laugh at the boy's enthusiasm, wrapping him into a tight embrace. They stayed that way for a few, before Jack turned his head a bit to speak properly.

"When we get everything moved, will you let me read to you? I have some poetry compendiums, a lot of it I think you'll like. I mean, nobody does a love poem like Neruda." Aster' heart flipped in his chest, he did have a bit of a soft spot for written words, but like most of his non-Easter related pastimes, they often fell to the side in favour of prepping for his Holiday. But spending his evenings in his nest curled around his mate's cool body, listening as that rich voice speaks to him in shades of love and beauty? Aster _ached_ for a moment like that, so excited he could hardly wait.

"Yeah mate, I'd like that." Smiling happily down at Jack's thin face while lovingly brushing a lock of hair behind Jack's ear, Aster didn't think things could get any better.

At least, until Jack's grin turned wicked.

"Y'know, Charles Bukowski once said that 'Sex is kicking death in the ass while singing.' Don't know about you, but I could go for some ass-kicking right about now." Between the salacious twist of Jack's lips and the boy's suddenly adventurous hands, there was no way Aster could possibly have the self control to say no.

"Well I'm up for it; does the music lesson come inclusive?" Jack laughs; pulling his husband down till their lips meet sloppily, more of a mashing together of two smiles then and actual kiss, but Aster can't bring himself to care, not when there are far more pressing matters at hand.

"You're _always_ 'up,' babe, I'd worry it was unhealthy if I didn't like it so much." Jack states, smirking at Aster as they break for air. "I should help you with that, I think." Jack sinks to his knees as he speaks, and at the first touch of his cool mouth to Aster' hardness, the Pooka forgets about anything but enjoying the moment. Screw moving Jack in, Aster thinks as he moans and cards his paws through unruly white hair, it could wait another few days.

They have a kitchen floor to christen, after all.

* * *

Also, for those of you curious, this is not the Part Three I promised, consider this a teaser ^_^


End file.
